A former California state lawmaker and a San Diego-area real estate developer made court appearances Tuesday in connection with the alleged embezzlement and misappropriation of millions of dollars meant to develop a solar farm in City of Industry.
Former state Senator Frank Hill, 67, of Whittier and William Barkett, 63, of La Jolla did not enter pleas. Both are due back to be arraigned in L.A. County court on Oct. 27.
Hill is charged with one count of misappropriation of public funds and eight counts of having a financial interest in a contract made in an official capacity. Barkett is charged with one count each of public-funds misappropriation, embezzlement, money laundering and grand theft.
The City of Industry entered into a land lease agreement between 2016 and 2018 with San Gabriel Valley Water and Power LLC, which Barkett owns. The arrangement was intended to study whether a potential solar farm could be built within city limits, and officials agreed to advance certain costs to contractors that would be repaid if construction was initiated.
Prosecutors said about $20 million in advanced public funds was allegedly routed to a bank account controlled by Barkett during the two-year period in question. Some of that money was paid to other vendors and about $8.3 million was allegedly spent by Barkett on personal expenses.
Hill is accused of having a hand in the drafting and influencing of contracts with the city regarding the solar farm project. He is represented in both a criminal case and a civil case brought by the City of Industry by former Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, who is embroiled in a scandal over the allegedly mishandled prosecution of a reality TV plastic surgeon accused of sexual assault.
Hill also served a 46-month prison sentence for a 1994 conviction on federal extortion and money laundering charges. Those charges arose from a $2,500 payment he took from undercover FBI agents in a sting operation.
"Public corruption erodes the trust of our citizenry and hampers progress. There is no place for it in Los Angeles County," District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement last week.
Both are charged along with former City of Industry manager Paul Jule Philips, 70, and Anthony Bouza, 60. Philips is set to be arraigned Friday; Bouza’s arraignment date is pending.
